State patronage is a must in order to promote gemstone sector: expert

PESHAWAR: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Community Research and Development Organization (CRDO), Imran Inam has said that state level patronage is prerequisite for the promotion and expansion of the business of gemstone.

The country has huge reserves of gemstones and despite big demand in foreign market, a business of only Rs 100 million is being done in the Gemstones Market of Namak Mandi, Peshawar. Over 2000 people were associated with this business in Namak Mandi and gemstones were being supplied to the foreign market through online business from here.

He was addressing a seminar organized under the auspices of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA). Local traders of gemstone sector attended in the seminar at large. The seminar was organized to promote the business of local cluster gems and people associated with it. He said with regard to the gemstones business, the Namak Mandi Market comes in first place in Asia and Sub-Continent.

The seminar, he said has also brought another issue to the limelight that the Namak Mandi gemstones market where business to the tone of millions of rupees takes place on monthly basis, is situated in the dark and narrow alleys. He said it is the need of the hour that the government pays prompt attention towards this issue and proposes a suitable place for the gemstones market according to the needs of the modern era. He demanded that the business and people associated with it should be provided proper security cover and exhibitions be arranged to promote these treasures of our country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022